Nuclear Scanning Catches a Radioactive Cat On I-5

Jeff recommends Seattle Times columnist Danny Westneat's story from a community meeting with Northwest border control agents. Seems their monitoring for dirty bombs from the median of Interstate 5 caught a car transporting a radioactive cat. "It turns out the feds have been monitoring Interstate 5 for nuclear 'dirty bombs.' They do it with radiation detectors so sensitive it led to the following incident. 'Vehicle goes by at 70 miles per hour... Agent is in the median, a good 80 feet away from the traffic. Signal went off and identified an isotope [in the passing car]. The agent raced after the car, pulling it over not far from the monitoring spot.' Did he find a nuke? 'Turned out to be a cat with cancer that had undergone a radiological treatment three days earlier.'"

Comments

Re:So let's say...

[Capt James McCarthy]

Sigh. So what is supposed to be done then? I'm sure with all the bitching on /. about this incident that there must be a rock solid solution that has no false positives.

I know I'm going to be modded 'FB' for this, but there are always 'false positives' in everything. Nothing is 100% accurate. There are and will be innocent folks caught in the fray. Obviously the goal is to minimize the false positives, however, there are going to be a few. Hopefully fewer as time goes by.

The sad part is should a 'dirty bomb' or otherwise go off in the States, I'm sure there will be plenty of folks on /. and elsewhere who will be first in line to bitch about why the Govt wasn't doing their job. Pick a side and stay on it. Either you want their best effort for detection and intelligence or you don't want any.

Re:Ha, ha

[FlopEJoe]

Now, how do you explain that you've just had radiation treatment to the mindless TSA buffoon who's found you're radioactive? What? Oh I get it... because all TSA workers are mindless, buffoons. Just like all blacks like watermelons, Irishmen are drunks, and Italians are in the mob. Of course.

Yeah, like we need national health care...

[tjstork]

Ok, check this out.... there are people that have health insurance and also get their cats health insurance or can otherwise pick up the cost of giving a cat radiotherapy.

Re:Ha, ha

[Mr. Slippery]

because all TSA workers are mindless, buffoons. Just like all blacks like watermelons, Irishmen are drunks, and Italians are in the mob. Of course.

One chooses to work for the TSA. One doesn't choose to be black, Irish, etcetera.

It is entirely appropriate to judge people by their choices. Those who freely choose to take TSA jobs with no redeeming social value are either woefully ignorant, or get off on the petty power of their jobs.